Cast-metal car body



June 10, 1930. A. w. ALBRECHT CAST METAL CAR BODY Filed May 3; 1929 a na J 4% m 7i i mrk E Ev C E Patented June 10, 1930 UTE!) STATES ALBERT W.ALBRECHT, F UNIVERSITY CITY, MISSOURI GASTJVIETAL CAR BODY Applicationfiled May 3,

This invention relates to a cast-metal car body and an object istoprovide a car body comprising a unitary casting so that the car body maybe made of cast steel or its equivalent so as to dispense with thenecessity of using rivets or bolts for fasteners, while at the same timethe weight is not substantially increased, but greater strength anddurability is obtained.

Another object of the invention is to provide a car body comprising acast unitary floor provided with integral longitudinal and transversereinforcing ribs and flanges and with means at the ends for supportingthe coupling devices.

Other objects will appear from the following description, referencebeing made to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a top planview of my improved car body.

Fig. 2 is an under side plan view of my improved car body.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation.

As shown in the drawing my improved car body is in the form of a unitarycasting comprising a floor wall 1 having a smooth upper surface and ofless thickness than the usual floors of flat cars of the type shown. Thefloor 1 is a unitary casting ex 30 tending the full length and width ofthe an.

The upper surface oi": the floor 1 is unobstructed and smooth from endto end and from edge to edge.

Along each longitudinal side edge of the car body a dependingreinforcing flange 2 is formed, the same being an integral part of thecasting of which the car body is made. This flange 2 is relatively thinand comprises substantially less metal than the side supporting membersof the usual car bodies. For, by making the car body of a unitarystructure a very considerable saving of material is obtained.

Along the under side 01 the car body and spaced equidistant from theside edges thereof a pair of spaced longitudinal depending ribs orflanges 3 are formed. These flanges 8 strengthen the intermediateportion of the car body longitudinally and they displace the usualreinforcements and supporting ends of the flanges 8 and 2.

1929. Serial No. 360,081.

beams comprised in flat cars of ordinary construction having woodfloors. The ends of these flanges 3 terminate at formations pro videdfor the connecting pins for attaching the car bodies to the supportingtruck struc ture. The formations shown comprise depending bosses -1lhaving holes 5 therethrough adapted to receive the bolts or pins forconnesting the car body with the supporting trucks. From the outer sideof each of the bosses d a pair of parallel depending flanges 6 extend tothe adjacent end of the car body and it is between these flanges 6 thatappropriate coupling devices are to be mounted so that the bosses a andthe longitudinal ribs or flanges 3 will resist and withstand theloi'igitudinal strains to which a car body is subjected. These flanges 6extend to the adjacent ends of the car body. Further, -lfrom each sideof each of the bosses at a pair of depending flanges 7 extend tointegral union with the depending side flanges 2.

From the corners oi the bosses 4. between the flanges 6 and the flanges7 :1 depending rib or flange 8 extends to the end corners of the carbody so that the ends of the car body beyond the flanges 7 arestrengthened and reintorccd and this strengthening and reinforcementincreased by a depending transverse flange 5) along each end of the carbody extending from integral union with the ends oi? the flanges (5 tointegral. union with the Thus no ordinary strains to which the car bodyis subjected can bend or distort the ends of the car body even thoughthe coupling devices are made to exert very great lateral or torsionalstrains. Corner abutment bumpers 10 are formed at each corner of the carbody on the transverse depending flanges 9.

The intermediate portion of the car body is transversely strengthenedand supported by depending flanges 11 extending transversely across thecar body to integral union with the side flanges 2. Thcseflanges 11cross the spaces between the flanges 2 and 3 and also cross the spacesbetween the flanges 3, as will readily be understood by reference toFig. 2.

In the embodiment shown my improved car body is formed with integralstake sockets 12 which are formed in connection with the side flanges 2and which extend laterally therefrom. These stake sockets are opositethe ends of the flanges 11 so that there is sufficient bracing andstrengthening thereof to resist any of the strains within the capacityof the car. The sockets 12 do not extend above the upper surface of thefloor 1. 0n the contrary, the upper ends of the sockets 12 areapproximately even with the upper surface of the floor 1, so that saidsockets do not constitute any obstruction along either side of thefloor.

At the ends of the spaces between the flanges 6 appropriate openings 13are provided to receive the proper parts of the conpling devices.

From the foregoing it must be clear that my invention is a car body ofhighly simplified and of very strong and durable construction. Beingmade in a unitary structure and strengthened and reinforcedsubstantially in the manner described, this car body is capable ofwithstanding all strains to which any car should be subjected.

I am aware that the construction may be varied within equivalent limitswithout departure from the nature and principle of the invention. 1

I claim 1. A unitary cast-metal car body comprising a single castingincluding a floor having an upper surface that is unobstructed.

throughout its width, two depending side flanges extendinglongitudinally along the side edges of said floor, flanges integral withthe under side of said floor at the ends thereof for receivingcouplings, a series of stake sockets along each of said side flangesterminating near the plane of the upper surface of the floor and leavingthe lateral edges of the floor unobstructed, bosses depending from theunderside of said floor and having holes for receiving pins, flangesdepending from said floor and having their ends integrally united withsaid bosses, and a series of transverse flanges depending from saidfloor and intersecting said first named flanges and having their endsopposite said stake sockets.

2. A unitary cast-metal car body comprising a single casting including afloor having a smooth upper surface, two depending side flangesextending longitudinally 55.

along the side edges of said floor, flanges integral with the under sideof said floor at the ends thereof for receiving couplings, a series ofstake sockets along each of said side flanges, bosses depending from theunder side of said floor and having holes forreceiving pins, flangesdepending from said floor and havingtheir ends integrally united withsaid bosses, a series of transverse flanges depending from said floorand lntersecting said first named flanges and havlng their ends iopposite said stake sockets and flanges having their inner ends integralwith said bosses and extending therefrointo integral union with saidside flanges at the corners of said floor.

3. A unitary cast-metal car body comprising a single casting including afloor extending the full length and width of the car body and having anupper surface that is unobstructed between its side edges, two dependinglongitudinal flanges integral with the lower side of the car body andspaced approximately equidistant from the side edges thereof, supportingbosses integral with the under side of the floor at the ends of saidflanges and having integral connection with said flanges, a series ofstake sockets along each. outer side edge of said floor, and dependingflanges extending from integral connection with said bosses to the endof the car body for confining coupling devices between them.

4. A unitary cast-metal car body comprising a single casting including afloor extending the full length and width of the car body and having anupper surface that is unobstructed between its side edges, two dependinglongitudinal flanges integral with the lower side of the car body andspaced approximately equi-dist-ant from the side edges thereof,supporting bosses integral with the under side of the floor at the endsof said flanges and having integral connection with said flanges,depending flanges extending from integral connection with said bosses tothe end of the car body for confining coupling devices between them,flanges integral with the floor extending from integral connection withsaid bosses to the side edges of the car body, marginal flanges integralwith the end and with the side edges of the car body connecting the endsof said second named flanges with the ends of said third named flanges,and a series of stake sockets integral with said flanges that are at theside edges of said car body.

5. A unitary cast-metal car body comprising a single casting forming afloor that has its upper surface unobstructed from edge to edge, flangesintegral with the underside of said floor at the ends thereof forreceiving couplings, a series of stake sockets extending downwardlyalong each side edge of said floor and having their upper endsapproximately in the plane of the upper surface of the floor and leavingthe lateral edges of the floor unobstructed, and integrally formedbosses on the under face of said floor forming means for connecting thecar body with car trucks.

6. A unitary cast-metal car body comprising a single casting forming afloor that has its upper surface unobstructed from edge to edge, flangesintegral with the underside of said floor at the ends thereof forreceiving couplings, a series of stake sockets extending downwardlyalong each side edge (if said for connecting the car body with cartrucks,

and flanges depending from said floor and havlng ends 1ntegrally unitedWith said bosses.

ALBERT W. ALBRECHT.

